A Christmas Carol
by Team Jane
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Eric's last night in his home before he leaves for Oklahoma. He is awoken from a fitful day rest as three ghosts visit him to show him his past, present and ultimately his future, either with Sookie or as a King. Who will he choose?
1. Chapter 1

**A Christmas Carol**

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Charles Dickens or any of the SVM characters, but if I ever met CH I would give her a piece of my mind for writing Dead Reckoning.

**Chapter 1- Ghost of Christmas Past**

'_Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse_, Eric repeated softly to himself as he looked out of his opaque light-tight windows, searching for answers that he wished could be found in the moon above.

He had tried to keep his mind on other things, work related things, but he couldn't help but wonder how _she _was spending her evening tonight on this fateful Christmas Eve. Even though he was not a Christian he imagined himself picking _her _up and dancing her tantalizing lips with his as they kissed under the mistletoe. Eric let out a defeated sigh because he learned long ago that wishes were fruitless, they got you nowhere, and only plagued you with heartache.

It had been months since Eric had heard from Sookie. He had sent Pam over to her house to assess her mood a few times, even sent her flowers, but Sookie wanted nothing to do with him.

This was the very last night that he would spend in his home, his last night in Shreveport. Tomorrow he would leave for Oklahoma, marry the Queen, and become something he never wished for; he would be King. Eric did not wish for the glory or power that came with the position; he liked the little slice that he had carved for himself in Louisiana. He liked being with his telepathic fairy, Sookie, and if he were really honest with himself, he knew that even though he had never said the words to her, he loved her. But Sookie would never understand his world and would never completely understand him.

The only thing that he had been able to negotiate was her freedom; Sookie would get to live in her house without another vampire owning her. That was his last concession to his love, the only woman that he had loved in centuries. He didn't know if she would ever recognize this of him; somehow after all this time she still believed that she had a choice, but he would have to leave her now. Though as his once bonded and lover he would still protect her, whether she knew it or not, he would protect her through the end of her life.

As he stared outside through his light-tight glass, watching the morning hues reach the horizon a disconcerting feeling overwhelmed him. His stomach coiled in knots and his head began to ache like it did when he was human. Could leaving Sookie make him physically ill?

He crawled onto his bed, fisted the sheets underneath his arm, and drifted off to into a fitful day sleep with his last thoughts being of Sookie.

**OoOoOo~oOoOoO**

"Eirkr, wake up," said a sweet voice.

Eric's eyes flew open as he not only recognized the name and language she spoke, but the voice behind it. There she stood, the woman who had been his wife over a thousand years ago, Aude. She was dressed in a long white robe, her body was filled with almost a blinding light, and an illuminated candle sat upon her hand.

"Aude," Eric acknowledged barely above a whisper.

"Yes, it is I, and I've been watching you, Eirkr."

Eric stumbled out of bed still not believing that he was seeing the woman in front of him. As he stood to his full height, he shakily touched her outstretched hand. When his hand glowed with her light, he wrapped his arms around her solid figure, inhaling her flesh. A tear slid down his cheek because she was just as he remembered; her skin smelled as if she had cooked with herbs all day; her hair was fragranced with the nearby village blossoms; and her body was full and round as if she were ready to bare him another child. He quickly wiped away the evidence of his shed blood by brushing the tear away with his hand. He pulled away reluctantly because being the pragmatic vampire that he was, he knew that she was here for a purpose.

"Careful Eirkr, I do not wish to burn you with my flickering flame," she said with a smile that she knew had brought him comfort in the past. He held her at arms length still taking in the sight of her as if his own vampire senses had deceived him. He briefly wondered if he finally went mad. "No Eirkr, you have not gone crazy. I am the ghost of Christmas past and I will take you on a journey."

The wind swirled around them, blooming her long white robe as they levitated, hovering above the floor. The floor dropped, leaving them in utter blackness except for her flickering flame as the ground threatened to swallow them whole. Her hair wildly whipped with his like they were caught in a torrent tornado, but as he looked around at the sight of his room he noticed that it was just them feeling the effects; everything else, all the furniture stood fast.

"Are you ready?" Aude shouted above the shrieking wind as if it cried in protest for being disturbed. Eirkr nodded his head, just as they began to fall.

The flight downwards was not what he had expected. He had prepared himself to use his gift of flight and slowly lower them into the bottomless pit, but he didn't have to. They floated through the blackness with only a flicker of guiding light. Eric chuckled to himself as he thought about that awful chocolate factory movie that Pam had made him sit through as Charlie and Grandpa floated in a room filled with bubbles. That was what it felt like, tiny bubbles molding to his clothing and flesh as they carried him downwards.

"Where are we?" Eric asked.

"We are in Limbo. This tunnel is a tear between the two worlds. We should be reaching our destination momentarily."

Eric had not thought much about a destination, for he was still completely stunned that his dead wife of a thousand years ago was next to him.

"Why are you here? Where are you taking me?" As surreal as this moment was, Eric wanted answers.

Just as their feet hit solid ground Aude stated, "I am the ghost of Christmas Past. You, and your feelings of hopelessness summoned me. I am here to show you your past, a trip down memory lane as I believe they say in your time. We beginning our journey one thousand years ago when life was simple."

The blackness slowly shimmered away and the scenery blurred into focus.

The snow had fallen, it looked like the first snowfall of the year as Aude and Eric took in the scene for the first time. Eric dropped to his knees, overwhelmed by the emotion of his lost simple Viking life as he buried his hands in the fallen snow, taking in the scent of his blessed homeland.

The men bustled around and Eric saw himself from afar readying a horse.

"They can not see nor hear us, do not fret about that," Aude explained.

Eric crept slow to himself and watched, as the him from a thousand years ago stroked his black stallion, the horse that would only quiet under his touch. From a nearby thatched house came running three young children and his very pregnant wife.

"_I baked you these, for the trails are hard and the nights lonely," his wife stated as she filled his saddlebag with fresh bread. _

_Eirkr kissed her, though it was not fraught with passion, but a promise of return. He laid his hands upon her swollen belly with pride as the three little ones hung to his legs. _

_He reached down grasping all three children in his strong arms. His daughter looked up at him with sad, pouty eyes, for he had a soft spot dedicated to just her. He tickled her belly wanting to rid her frown as all three children squealed, moving backwards as he wiggled his fingers. He chased them around the horse, trotting slowly so they thought they stood a chance. _

_Doubling back he surprised his children as he came directly upon them, encircling them into his comforting embrace. He twirling all three of them around as they climbed upon his shoulders. Setting them down one at a time, he kneeled before them. _

"_Haldor, as my oldest son you are the man until my return. Care for them well." The boy was only eight and not quite ready for battle, but his training would begin soon. Eirkr took from his saddleback a gift that he had made for his son; a gift that he thought now was an appropriate time to give. _

_He handed the long, leather-bound item to his son and watched with careful eyes as Haldor took great care in unwrapping it. The boy's eyes lit up like the morning sun as he held his first real sword with runes carved by his father. Haldor's eyes shone with great delight, but as the boy recognized that he was soon to be a man, he nodded to his father, not embracing him as if he were still a child. Eirkr felt a pang in his heart, but he knew tradition and bowed slightly to his son as he radiated pride for his boy. _

_He gave the other two a pat on the head before he mounted his horse and rode off, with a brigade of men, into the shadowy forest. _

"I never did see you again. When I returned I was told that you birthed our child early and there was not a way to save you," Eric whispered quietly as the scene before him began to change.

He reached for his children as they blurred away, he shouted, "Please, I need to hold them just…one more time," He implored the ghost of his wife, trying with all his might to grasp their image as they faded away. "Why, Aude, why would you bring me this pain? Why show me our children, the ones I had buried deep inside myself?" He dropped to his knees again, this time in grief as he cupped his hands over his face, his body trembled from the deluge of emotions that surged through him. He fisted his hands in anger, slamming them into the ground, "Answer me!" he demanded.

"These events are a portend to the future; they molded you into who you are. I'm here to show you that you have a choice," Aude explained, though Eric was completely lost on her words.

"But my children…you…" As Eric sat on the ground and contemplated his life, what he was just shown, and realized that he had never grieved any of their deaths. Upon his returned from the hunting trip and finding his wife and child dead, his father could only look towards the future and his next mate. On the fateful night of his turning his maker, Ocella, never allowed him to look back; never allowed him a chance to say goodbye even from afar; and never let him shed a tear for the family he had lost.

This was his time to make peace with himself as he sobbed for his very existence, their short lives, and for leaving them so utterly alone to fend for themselves. He felt a void within himself, a sense of utter loss and vulnerability like he had not felt before. Aude took his hand and began to rub soothing circles upon his back.

"I left you too my Eirkr; I was not strong enough," she mumbled, sharing in his grief. He wiped away his tears, which were no longer bloody, with confusion. "Here you do not bleed the same," was all Aude said as she took his hand in hers. "Now, I have more to show you."

A new image appeared and Eric recognized the scene immediately. They were aboard his pirate ship that he captained in the fourteenth century. Aude and Eric were standing in his private quarters as he bantered with the feisty Catherine that he had taken captive aboard his ship.

"_But Monsieur, there is only one bed, for where shall I rest? Surely you cannot expect me to lay beside thee."_

_That was certainly not the first question he expected her to ask, so with jest he answered her, "Tis part of our arrangement, yes? Were thee not to reside in my chambers?"_

_Perplexed, she took a backwards step. Trying to recover herself she stated, "Yes, but-"_

"_But you thought I would have more than one place to rest my head? I agreed not to touch thee, the bed is plenty large for me to keep that promise," he concluded innocently watching emotions play over her lovely face. _

"_I require rope then, Sir," she commanded with her hands on her hips and her chin jutted out in defiance, clearly showing her displeasure over the current situation._

_Taking a step closer Eric leered at her with a smoldering look, preying upon her modesty before responding, "If thee wanted to be tied to the bed frame so that we may enjoy the pleasures of the night, all ye had to do was ask. I would love to oblige such a request. Or dost thee wish to tie me to the bed so ye may bask your eyes upon my naked flesh?"_

_Her cheeks burned red like newly applied rouge. She reached out with her hand to slap him across the face and he caught her arm in mid-flight. _

"_You will do well not to lay a hand on me Madame unless ye art prepared to finish what thou hast started." _

"_What dost ye need the rope for?" Eric continued in a softer tone still holding her firmly. _

_Tears welled in her eyes and he loosened his iron grip on her slender wrists. His eyes softened as the wetness pooled in her eyes, for this was not how he wished this first night to end._

"_I wish then to make a curtain to divide your space and mine."_

Aude giggled standing next to Eric. "Did she really build that divider?"

"Oh yes, when I returned to the room later that night she had made a curtain from one bedpost to the other," Eric snorted shaking his head at the absurdity of the memory.

"I never thought I would see the day when a woman would refused your worldly wiles," Aude jested with a glint in her eye.

"She was fiery and beautiful, but I hurt her as well." As if Eric was controlling the image, the scenery shifted into a memory that haunted Eric even until this day. It was the night that began the fairy war; the night he plundered an attacking ship and did the unspeakable.

_Glancing at the eight cowards who surrendered on their knees, Eric noticed a woman with a large bosom on the end. He commanded with a lick of my lips, "Spare the one on the end; throw her in a cell. Kill the rest." His desire to be done overrode any conscious thought as the delicious scents haunted the air and skewed his sight._

_Before he finished his sentence a howling scream came from the surrounding crowd and one charged forth trying to free the prisoners. "No," the voice claimed with a sword drawn, "You must spare them. Hath mercy!"_

"_Who dare defy my command?" Eric roared, "The penalty for such insolence is ten and one lashes." Throwing the heathen face down on the ground, he pushed his foot into the deviant's back, shoving the rotting flesh of the imbecile into the planked deck, and drew his whip._

Aude and Eric watched the scene play out together as silent tears fell down his cheek. Eric saw it all now, saw what he didn't see back then; the blonde hair that sprayed across the deck floor. He watched her strength as she didn't utter a sound under his commanding hand. Over and over, repeatedly he drew the whip and slammed it down upon her body.

"I whipped her to the brink of death," Eric howled as he felt the anguish of his own words. He continued watching himself as the realization of what he had done back then finally hit him.

_His horrified look was enough to give every man on deck pause as he rushed with her to his chambers, cradling her body protectively. _

"She forgave you," Aude gently reminded him as she clutched her hands in his.

"For that yes. What is this, Aude? Is the whole point of this…late night excursion to exploit every dark secret that I have?"

"No, the whole point is to show you who you are, what you possess, and what you will need to do," Aude answered ominously.

The scenery blurred again. "We have one more stop Eric and this one I promise is a much happier moment in your history," Aude explained as she ghosted forward, releasing his hand from hers.

The surroundings around them shifted into a chilly London night as the rain fell heavily from the sky. A smile lit upon Eric's face because he recognized this night as one of his greatest nights of all.

"This is the night I turned Pam," he whispered to him.

"Precisely," Aude returned.

_Eric couched in the shadows like a springing lion ready to strike as a beautiful young woman dashed through the puddles with her beau. He had been watching her over the last week's time and this was the third different beau that he had seen her teasing. She certainly like variety._

_The young man held his coat over her head as he pushed her into a darkened corner for a goodnight lover's kiss. Pamela, her name that Eric had heard a few night's ago, pecked the boy one last time, bidding him goodnight as she let the rain completely soak her dress. _

_The adventurous woman advanced upon the trestles, climbing as if she were Juliet and just bid her knight farewell. _

_Eric revealed himself stepping out of the shadows, for he knew the time had come. He had chosen._

"_What say ye, Madame?" Eric inquired stepping directly behind her._

_Shakily she turned around, afraid to be caught by the local constable and returned to her parents in her state._

"_Please sir, I mean no harm. The doors were locked and this is the only way into my room," the stunning blonde woman declared, batting her eyelashes through the downpour of rain in the hopes that Eric would fall victim to her beauty. _

"_This life does not seem to suit you. What if I could offer you more?" Eric asked with a gleam in his eye as they started to smolder, trapping the girl into his gaze. Eric picked up the pliable young woman and took to the sky._

The scene followed Eric as he touched back down under a bridge near the opening of a tunnel. He carried the girl through a series of dark and twisted turns until he came to a dead-end. Pressing a secret handle, the wall moved aside to reveal a generously well lit place for being so far underground.

_After Eric and the girl stepped through the door, it securely closed behind him, trapping them both inside the room. He laid out the girl upon his bed and she look so angelic, almost like a sacrificial lamb being taken to the slaughter. Her golden crown of damp hair formed a halo around her snow-white flesh and ruby lips. Her turquoise eyes seemed lost as she search his with a hazy expression as she was still influenced by his glamour. _

_He felt compelled to want to know her as he brushed a stray lock of her hair from her face. In a snap decision he released her of his glamour. _

_She did not scream, but looked about in awe, finally settling on his Ceylon blue orbs. "Where am I?" she asked._

_He decided that he would always tell her the truth. "You are beneath the city of London, in my underground lair."_

"_I remember you…from the gardens," she spoke with recognition, but had no sense of fear in her voice. _

"_I have seen you for sometime, each with a different beau?" he asked in question with an eyebrow raised expecting an answer from her._

"_My parents expect me to get married and have babies, but that is not what I want. I want to be free, is that so terrible?" she whined, but almost with a fierce determination, reaffirming in Eric's mind that he had chosen wisely._

"_I can offer you freedom," Eric whispered as his eyes smoldered, glazing hers over. And then he bit, so his new child could rise in three days time. _

"She was my greatest accomplishment," Eric mused out loud. He closed his eyes soaking up the memory with all his senses; a serene smile played upon his lips for the first time that night. He thought of the women in his long life: Aude, Catherine, Pamela, and Sookie, the ones he deeply cared for. They were all blonde yes, but highly intelligent, brazen women and that was what drew him to them.

Seemingly lost in his own thoughts he felt a gently breeze caress every inch of his skin. He heard a whistling breeze reminiscent of Aude's voice, _"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight."_

When he opened his eyes up he was back in his bedroom alone. Aude had gone, but left her flickering candle behind. Maybe those words, the words to the end of the carol were the magic words to send him back. Eric crawled into bed and hoped that his day slumber would overtake him. He had too much that he didn't want to think about, but as he drifted off to sleep he heard Aude whisper the end of the carol once again, and something told him that his day had just begun.

**A/N: Would you like to hear from the Ghost of Christmas Present and Future? Drop me a line and let me know what you think. **

**In case you are wondering the exert about Catherine came from my other story **_**Oh Captain**_**. Check it out if you haven't all ready. **


	2. Ghost of Christmas Present

**I was floored with the response with this story. Thank you for all your kind reviews and encouragement. People who left me anonymous reviews, if you log in or leave an E-mail address, I'll respond back. **

**I think I made a big Oops picking my Ghost for Christmas Present. I was just informed by three different people through PM's that the person is supposed to be alive, well I chose a dead person. Ghosts to me means a person who has passed on. Sorry I got it wrong, now on with the show.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CH's world and don't sue me for plagiarism seeing that I borrowed some dialogue from the books. Many of the situations belong to CH, but the words (for the most part) are mine. **

**Ghost of Christmas Present**

A familiar voice chanted to rouse the sleeping Viking from his rest,

"_the vampires were nestled all snug in their beds, _

_while visions of Royalty danced in their heads; _

_and the Queen in her furs, and you under her thumb, _

_had just made a decision that left you feeling numb."_

Eric shot out of bed as the feeling of unrest tortured him in his quest for a peaceful daytime slumber. His heightened senses were searching for danger as his eyes fell upon a very familiar redhead dressed in silk robes and fur; Sophie-Anne LeClerq. His natural instinct was defensive as he bared his fangs for her to see before he pounced. Instead of knocking her to the ground as his intended desire, he flew through the air, gliding right through her invisible body, and hit the wall on the other side of the room. Shaking himself slightly he stood to face his intruder again with his fists clenched and fangs elongated.

"Contrary to your belief, I have been sent here to help," Sophie-Anne stated while sauntering forward. A long bone quellazaire with attached cigarette appeared out of nowhere and was gripped lightly by her fingertips. Drawing a drag off of her cigarette, she dramatically exhaled the smoke into the air. "I am the ghost of Christmas Present."

Eric just stared at her gapping because she looked nothing like his human wife Aude, who had visited him earlier, dressed in white robes with a lit candle in her palm. No, Sophie-Anne was dressed regally in silk and furs, stiletto glass heels, a fancy-smancy cigarette holder, and her fire red hair done in an elegant up-do. She looked more like the belle of the ball rather than a ghost.

Eric's eyes drifted to the table where Aude had left her flickering candle. The light still shone brightly and none of the wax had left behind residue upon melting.

Eric still remained without his wits as he had once again been awoken from his daytime slumber. He asked, "If you are a ghost, where is _your _candle?"

"Humans, they love their theatrics. Since you already seemed to know the drill, I decided to dress in more appropriate attire, not those drab white robes that wash out my complexion. That horrid material isn't good for my skin; it's scratchy you know," Sophie-Anne complained as she dramatically pressed the back of her hand to her forehead.

"The candle?" Eric inquired again.

"Oh, have it your way," she mumbled clearly aggravated. As she irritably flicked her hand the candle magically appeared in her palm. "_Happy now_?"

"So are we going to waste time or are you going to show me what you plan to; I want to go back to my rest," Eric countered, wanting the hell that this night had become over and done with as soon as possible.

"You were never any fun Eric. Very well then, follow me," she stated as her hips pornographically swayed from side to side. She opened his bathroom door and stepped inside.

"The bathroom?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow. He had not taken a step towards her because he knew many things about her; one being that Sophie-Anne was a very sexual creature, and another thing was that the very last place he wanted to be was in an enclosed space with only a hot tub between them.

"What are you afraid of? I don't bite…much." She tapped the end of her cigarette as a magical ashtray appeared out of thin air and just as quickly disappeared.

Eric shrugged his shoulders; she was a ghost, right? He had already passed right through her on one occasion, maybe ghosts couldn't have sex? He cringed, thinking that a world without sex- even if he was a ghost- was no world he wanted to be apart of. At that moment he knew that he would never met his final death because the bleak promise of a sexless life would surely keep him alive.

Hesitantly he followed Sophie-Anne through the bathroom door and once inside, the room transformed and they were at his club Fangtasia.

He turned to Sohpie-Anne and asked, "What happened to drifting through Limbo and landing on the ground in a cloud of bubbles?"

Sophie-Ann quirked her eye like he had finally lost his mind. "Bubbles?" she queried huskily, laughing a bit as she looked through her lashes at him, "Humans and their theatrics. Now where were we? Oh yes, I'm not rightly dressed for this occasion." With a wave of her hand her white silk dressed turned into a deep blood red ball gown that closely fitted every one of her sensual curves. Her quellazaire was replaced with opera glasses that she held between her pointer finger and thumb as if she wanted an up-close and personal seat for the entertainment.

Eric shook his head and thought, _Vampires and their theatrics!_

The club was in full swing and Eric spotted himself immediately in his rounded booth in the center of the room. He was not alone and Sookie was definitely not a participant in his shenanigans. He had one woman straddling him as she leaned back, spreading herself out like a buffet for him to devour as the girls on each side begged and pouted for his exclusive attention.

It was only a minute later that 'Booth' Eric stood up and crooked his fingers towards the fangbangers. They scrambled to get up, knocking each other out of the way to be the first in line. They looked like nothing more attractive than three hussies having a cat fight over a piece of meat. 'Booth' Eric looked utterly bored as he watched the squabble before him as one fangbanger pulled the hair of the other so she'd fall backwards and trip. When the girl fell she grabbed the ankle of her nemesis, toppling her over; all they needed was a giant pit of mud.

The third fangbanger stayed clear of the 'fight to the death', walking with a wide berth around the other girls. Once she reached 'Booth' Eric's side she threw her hands up in triumph jumping up and down screaming, 'yes' like she was the latest model for the Herbal Essence commercial. But her _Dollar General _heels couldn't take the pressure of all the excitement and they cracked, tumbling her to the floor screaming in pain over her twisted ankle.

Even though she was obviously in some pain, little miss hussy had the audacity to get up on her knees and offer him a blow job; a offer he didn't refuse.

Sophie-Anne observed, "Looks like you had quite the feast every night, having one fangbanger after another throw themselves at you."

Eric groaned as the scene shimmered away. "I remember that horrible night. That was the first night I instructed Pam to bring me some 'takeout'. I was done choosing my own meals."

"That's until Sookie walked in; I believe that you chose her, correct?"

His chest rumbled as he stared at his former Queen. "She was never a meal," he stated clearly.

The scene changed to a backroom poker game that sat several individuals, one including Jackson Herveaux.

_Herveaux had just lost his last several hands and was down thirty grand. He flipped out his phone and against a nagging feeling in his chest, he called a person that he knew would lend him the money. _

The other side of the room blurred into an image of Eric sitting at his desk at Fangtasia as the call came through.

"_Northman," Eric answered on the first ring, for he already knew from an informant that Herveaux was going to call about money. It had been his plan all along to get the Were indebted to him, and Herveaux made it so easy._

"_I need to be spotted for some cash, you know I'm good for it," Herveaux answered with near perfect confidence, but Eric could still hear the twinge of worried inflection held in his voice. _

_Eric smiled to himself as he quickly scanned Herveaux's assets on his computer. Loan shark indeed! His bite and it's lasting sting had nothing on a shark. _

"_How much do you need?" Eric asked coolly, though already knowing the answer. _

"_Fifty."_

"_Done. I will send a wire transfer now."_

_He hung up the phone and sat back in his chair with a ghost of a smile upon his face. _

"Loan sharking is yet another thing we can add to your many talents," Sophie-Anne replied.

"Do not act innocent with me, oh procurer of telepaths," Eric snarked back.

"Bill was the procurer, I was merely the investor." Eric rolled his eyes at her trivial analysis of the situation. "On with the light spectacle, shall we?" she asked rhetorically.

The scene shimmered into yet another dark, dank space and Eric knew immediately that he was in one of his warehouses that was situated right on the bayou for its 'waste disposable' convenience. He had a feeling that he knew precisely who they were going to see.

_Jackson Herveaux huddled against the back wall, visible signs of torture evident on his body, and his legs and arms shackled. It was all for show really so Eric could easily demand for Alcide to do his bidding. Eric had roughed him up enough so that Alcide would think the worst._

The area on the right shimmered as Eric calmly sat at his desk with his feet propped up as he waited for Alcide to arrive.

_Pam led Alcide into the room and Eric pretended to dabble with something important on his computer making the newly arrived Were sweat with anticipation. After about ten minutes, Eric lifted his head to finally acknowledge Alcide. _

"_Herveaux, take a seat; we have much business to discuss."_

_The Were impatiently spewed, "Where is my father?"_

"_Tisk, tisk, I do not take kindly to demands. Your father is safe as of right now, but I cannot guarantee what tomorrow may bring. I have a job that I need completed."_

"_I ain't doing shit for you. How do I even know that you have my father or that he is alive?" Alcide crossed his arms defiantly as he resentfully slid back down into his chair. _

_With a deep sigh of annoyance Eric hit play on the video feed and turned his laptop towards Alcide. _

_The video showed Herveaux laying on the ground, naked with his arms and legs shackled and open sores all over his body. _

"_Oh God!" Herveaux exclaimed. _

_Eric turned the computer back towards himself and asked, "Are we now ready to negotiate?"_

_A whimpering Alcide merely nodded his head in full compliance. _

"_Good. You are to meet a woman at her house, a Miss Stackhouse, and take her to Jackson, Mississippi to infiltrate the local Supe hangouts. She is looking for information and you will help her in any way to retrieve that information."_

"_That's it? Take a woman to Jackson and you'll give me my father back? What about my father's debt to you?"_

"_As long as she comes back in one piece, uninjured and has retrieved the necessary information, then your father will be free and I will exonerate all his debt." That was a big 'if'._

"_And if something happens to her?"_

"_I would not allow that to happen if I were you," Eric stated sternly, glaring at him menacingly. _

"I see kidnapping and blackmail was also a part of your daily regiment," Sophie-Anne added with a snort. "Did you do what you promised? Did you exonerate the debt?"

"No."

"And why not?" Sophie asked in an indignant tone. Had she grown a conscience as a ghost?

"Sookie did not come back uninjured; she was staked while in his care."

"Uh, huh," Sophie-Anne commented. The scene shimmered again to something much more favorable to Eric.

_Sookie was sound asleep in her bed as Eric crawled in behind her, snuggling up against her side. He wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling the delectable scent emanating from her pulse point. Inhaling deeply he cursed under his breath to himself because her delicious Fae scent was ruined by the stench of her body odor; his usually hygienic Sookie had not bathed in several days. _

"_Mmm," Sookie moaned as Eric rocked his body into hers, stench be damned. This was a moment that he wasn't about to waste. _

_She rolled over on her side, her eyes still closed, with an angelic smile upon her sweet face as her arms encircled his neck to nuzzle him closer. Eric's arms tightened around her shapely body as his hands found purchase under her nylon nightgown. His fingers ghosted firmly up her thigh and hitched her leg over his, grinding his swollen shaft right into her sex. _

_Sookie hands reached for his pants and he cursed himself that he had to ruin the moment. As much as he wanted to have sex with Sookie, he wanted her to want it, with him, as well._

"_It's me," Eric replied._

_Sookie's hands stopped and asked, "Eric, what are you doing here?"_

"_Snuggling."_

"_You son of a bitch! I thought you were Bill! I thought he was back!"_

_Eric masked well the hurt he felt and diverted her attention. "Sookie, you need a shower."_

"_What?'_

"_Your hair is dirty, and your breath could knock down a horse."_

"_Not that I care what you think."_

"_Go get cleaned up."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because we need to talk, and I'm pretty sure that you don't want to have a long conversation in bed. Not that I have any objection to being in bed with you, but I'd enjoy it more if I were with the hygienic Sookie I've come to know."_

The scene fast forwarded a few minutes to where Pam, Chow, Sookie and Eric were sitting at her kitchen table talking about retrieving Bill from Mississippi.

"_Here's what I'm going to do," Eric said. "I can't tell if you're lying or not, which is remarkable. For your sake, I hope you are telling the truth. I could torture you until you told me the truth, or until I was sure you had been telling me the truth from the beginning. But, that might damage you too badly for the other part of my plan."_

The rest of the scene played out, but it was the end that really caught Eric's attention.

"_I'll agree to your proposal, Eric, on one condition."_

"_What would that be?" Eric asked warily. _

"_If something happens to me, I want you to take Lorena out."_

_Eric's eyebrow lifted in surprise, for he never thought Sookie would make such a request of him. "You might make a decent vampire, Sookie," Eric said finally. "All right. Done. If anything happens to you, she'll never fuck Bill again."_

"_Oh, it's not just that," Sookie replied. "It's because she betrayed him."_

_Eric's curious blue eyes met hers. "Tell me Sookie: would you ask this of me if she were human?"_

"_If she were human, I'd take her out myself."_

"She is a feisty thing, isn't she?" Sophie-Anne remarked.

"That was the moment I knew," Eric mused to himself.

"What did you know?"

"I knew that my feelings for Sookie ran deeper than mere intrigue. She had depth and integrity that I had never seen in any human. I knew at that moment that I wanted her for more than just a fuck."

"Is that why you followed her to Jackson?"

"Yes, I wanted to discover the mystery behind Sookie Stackhouse."

"Have you figured it out?" Sophie asked curiously.

"Every time that I think I have, she surprises me yet again. I have watched the human race for a thousand years and thought I knew everything about the predictability of their selfish actions. One human girl was able to prove a millennium worth of theories wrong."

"Let me see here," Sophie-Anne said as she brought her opera glasses to her eyes and a scroll magically appeared in the other hand. "It says here that you had her driveway fixed, what was that about?" Sophie-Anne peered at the checklist that she held in her hands. He imagined it was a ghost's version of 'topics for conversation' when you find yourself in a conversational lull. He wondered if ghosts had their own self-help books?

Eric sighed, "After I brought her home one evening, I noticed that her driveway was all torn up and I was livid that Bill had not fixed it for her."

"So what did you do?" Sophie-Anne as quizzically as if she were a therapist and actually interested in the response.

"I fixed it for her. The last thing I wanted was the gravel ruining my car if I happened to drive her home another time," Eric stated as the words quickly flew from his mouth.

Sophie-Anne quirked an eyebrow, and asked, "Was that the real reason Eric, because it was an inconvenience to your car?"

Eric sighed and thought for a moment over the truths of his actions. Finally he answered, "No, I wanted to do something nice for her. I hoped that the gesture would at least entitle me a 'thank you' phone call from her. I saw the situation as an excuse to speak with her again."

"That's what I thought," Sophie-Anne stated as the opera glasses and the rolled scroll disappeared into thin air.

The scene shifted into another familiar memory. It was the night that he lost everything; he lost his identity, his home, his friends, and his way. The only guiding light came in the form of headlights that stopped as he ran down the road barefoot and shirtless. Sookie, his savior, had come to rescue him.

"_Oh, Eric," Sookie said sadly as she got a pan from the kitchen cabinet and filled it with hot water from the sink. His blue jeans, the only thing that he wore, were caked in dirt like he had been out digging for some unknown treasure. "Pull 'em off," she commanded as she pointed to a chair for him to sit. Once he had done as she said, she carefully wrapped his white body in a hideous afghan which didn't do much for his temperature, but relieved some of his fearfulness. _

From this vantage point Eric could see everything and as 'amnesia' Eric maneuvered out of his jeans. He even saw Sookie's lustful expression and the slight lick of her lips as his jewels were about to breach the barely there red bikini underwear.

His chest warmed seeing Sookie's evident attraction for him, but as she schooled her features into a clinical nursemaid, he realized that he cherished her even more. She was able to put her personal feelings aside and do what she thought was right without taking advantage of the situation. At that moment she could have conned him out of anything; money, his houses, or even his property, but because she was who she was, he had been in no danger of that happening.

_She got a clean rag from a cabinet and some liquid soap and began to methodically wash his feet, taking her time to cover each area of skin thoroughly. _

Eric watched her as she performed the menial task without complaint. She only thought of his wellbeing and did not even consider her own selfish needs after a long night at work.

The scene flashed to another memory where Sookie stood in the shower all alone. He felt a tingle of longing in his loins because he clearly remembered this memory well. It was one of his top three favorite Sookie moments.

"_I'll do that for you," Eric said as he pulled the curtain back, stepped into the shower, and took the soap from Sookie. He lathered up his hands, set the soap back down, and began washing Sookie's arms. He raised each in turn, following them down to her sides, but never once touching her breasts, which were practically quivering like a weeping willow over the slight breeze of the wind. _

_Have we ever made love?" Eric asked. _

_She shook her head as no words were found for her reply._

"_Then I was a fool. Turn around, lover," he commanded as his hands oscillated over her belly in a circular motion, avoiding the intimate areas where she craved his touch. _

_She turned around obediently, letting him massage her back, lathering it up with soap. His took his time preparing her, allowing her to draw her own conclusion that she desired this as much as he. _

"_Are you trembling because you are frightened of me?" he asked, feeling her out with not just his hands, but her thoughts as well. _

_She did not answer as she seemed to war, in her own mind, over his words. It wasn't until she picked up the soap herself, lathered up her own hands and took a step towards him that he knew that she had made her decision. _

_She molded herself to his frame and Mr. Happy did the Irish jig as she folded him between them so she could reach around and thoroughly massage his butt. She washed every inch of his derrière meticulously and he spread his legs to accommodate her hands as he rocked forward. _

_She started working on his chest, lathering the soap and rubbing her hands up and down. Her hot, wet mouth encircled his right nipple as she suckled it. _

"_Bite a little," he whispered as she coaxed him into a state. _

_There was a flurry of movement as the water shut off. Between kissing her, Eric dried each inch of her off as he carried her to the bed. They tumbled forward as Sookie tried to throw the sheets back. _

_The tempo escalated as Eric explored every inch of her topography and pressed himself heavily against her quivering thigh. The fire stoked hotter between them as Eric hovered above her and a very ready Sookie reached to pull him to just the right spot, rubbing the tip of him over her aching nub. _

"_My lover," he whispered hoarsely and pushed. As he began to thrust he said, "Don't close your eyes. Look at me, lover." The word 'lover' was said as if it were a caress, a name that would never be used by any other. _

_His fangs were completely elongated as Sookie looked up into his eyes and she stretched up and ran her tongue over them in curious eroticism. _

"_Watch me," he said again into Sookie's ear as he pulled out of her. He began kissing down her body, making strategic stops as she hovered on a plain just shy of the golden edge. His talented mouth and hands took the place of his cock, and then he looked up the length of Sookie's body to verify that she was indeed watching before he nuzzled her inner thigh and bit, moving his fingers in and out of her vigorously. _

_In the next second she screamed out her orgasm as it rippled through her body. Eric climbed his way back up her body and kissed her mouth as he thrust himself back inside of her. Sookie lost herself in the feeling and another orgasm quaked throughout her body as Eric came right after shouting in a beautiful language that she didn't understand. _

_He held her in his arms as she casually stroked his hair. "I wish I could save orgasms in a jar for when I need them because I think I had a few extra."_

_They stayed in each other's arms all night making love as only two lovers who were much more to each other than passing ships in the night._

Eric sighed deeply as he remembered each moment, each touch, and each word spoken. He remembered offering her everything, but when it came down to it, he couldn't make good on that promise. Things were simpler when he was cursed; he could love Sookie forever and not have to worry about anything.

Now, at this moment, standing at the crossroad, he was about to give her up completely and though he had it set in his mind that he was going to do it, he now had lingering doubts.

"And I thought her only talent was telepathy," Sophie-Anne commented, showing at bit of fang as she finished watching the scene.

"Sookie is so much more than her telepathy," Eric admitted more to himself than to his former Queen.

"That she is," the Queen replied.

The scene changed into another moment in time, one that Eric would surely never forget. It was the day that Sookie Stackhouse saved not only his life, but Pam's as well.

"_Eric, Pam!" Sookie yelled as she scrambled into their shared hotel room in Rhodes. "Wake up!" Sookie screamed at Pam, shaking her with all her might as Pam did not even stir. "Eric!" she screamed right into his ear. _

_His eyes fluttered opened and he mumbled, "What?"_

"_You have to get up! You have to! You have to go out!"_

"_Daytime," he whispered as he flopped back over on his side. _

_Sookie slapped him hard, probably hurting her hand more than his face. "Get up!" she screamed. Eric stirred again, but this time sat up groggily on the bed. "Cover your head!" Sookie demanded as she threw a cloak around his neck and fastened it just as the windows shattered in the above floor. _

"_You have to help me get Pam out. Eric you just have to!" she pleaded frantically as another roar deep within the building caused the floor to lurch. _

_Eric's eyes widened in understanding and he weakly helped Sookie push a coffin off its trestle and onto the carpet. _

_Sookie pushed the coffin open while Eric fumbled towards Pam like someone had tied weights to his feet. The floor shook again, more violently that time. Eric grabbed Pam's shoulders and Sookie took her feet as they shoved her into the coffin and shut the lid. _

"_We have to break the glass," shrieked Sookie. The two of them worked together, pushing the coffin hard against the glass until it cracked into a thousand pieces. As the glass shattered Eric saw sunlight for the first time in a millennium and screamed a terrible gut-wrenching cry. But then he defiantly pulled the cloak tightly around him, concealing most of himself from the harmful rays. _

_He grabbed Sookie and hopped astride the coffin as they both pushed off with their feet, tobogganing down the side of the building and hanging onto the coffin for dear life. Just before they were about to crash, Eric staggered through the air, flying in a zigzag formation as he slowly made his descent. _

_The coffin faired much worse as Pam crash landed and toppled out into the sun. Eric lowered himself directly on top of her so the sun would not burn her with its rays. _

Eric watched the scene continue as Sookie moved around in a fury trying to provide cover and to find help for them. She was magnificent and level-headed as she got a couple of EMT's to help them get to a basement.

"She saved my life and that of my child's," Eric mused solemnly, for he truly believed that he was saving hers by leaving for Oklahoma. "That wasn't the last time either," Eric remembered as he flipped through his memories like a rolodex.

Not that he had kept a tally, but they had saved each other equally. She was the only one besides his child, that had truly cared for him and wanted nothing from him in return.

Eric blinked a few times and they had returned to his bedroom where the journey down memory lane had begun.

"So Sophie-Anne, is this the part where you tell me your words of wisdom and explain what exactly this journey was about?"

"The hell if I know! What is it they say? Don't shoot the messenger," she added as her quellazaire popped out of nowhere and into her hands. Her blood red dressed was replaced with her white silk gown and furs once more.

Eye cocked an eyebrow at her. "So I was woken up for what exactly?"

A bright light came down from the sky, almost like a lightning bolt, as it jolted Sophie-Anne, metaphorically 'shooting the messenger'. "Alright, alright!" she declared staring angrily at his ceiling. Clearing her throat she produced a rolled scroll out of thin air.

She deadpanned, "I'm supposed to recite this to you." Her cigarette was replaced by her opera glasses as she examined the fine print. "You were shown these images so you could see how much of a better vampire you were after Sookie entered your life. Before Sookie, you were nothing but a power-hungry arrogant ass. I added that last line myself."

"So what does that mean, Sophie?"

"I am only your guide through your present; that, my friend, will have to be something that you figure out on your own."

The vision of Sophie-Anne slowly faded away, but her words of rhyme rang clear and true:

"Some choices cannot be made with such haste, Because surely love is just what you'll waste. Her frailty will not last forever, Pledging is a promise not to sever."

Eric crawled back into bed hoping that he could finally get some sleep, but knowing the tale, he knew that sleep would be a long time in coming.

**A/N: So who do you think is the ghost of Christmas Future? Send me some love and let me know. Hint, I chose another person who has died. **

**Any suggestions for what Eric might see in his future for either path? What would his future be like with Sookie or as a King?**

**Thank you to the ladies in the Fangreaders chatroom that brainstormed with me on Christmas Day and helped put this chapter together so quickly. **

**If you want to meet me in the chatroom or just have a lively discussion, heck you can pretend that I'm not even there. I host Wednesday and Thursday nights at 9pm EST. **

**Thank you my FF wifey Sassyvampmama who always brings luster to my stories. **


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